Chem. [mod. f. Gr. χολή bile + στερ-εός stiff, solid + -IN.]
A tasteless, inodorous, fatty-looking substance (C26 H44 O), found in most animal liquids and solids, and in the fruit and seed of many plants. It crystallizes in white transparent scales, and in this form is the chief constituent of gall-stones.
1827. Faraday, Chem. Manip., x. 253. Alcohol is applicable to the crystallization of potash, cholesterine, urea, sugar, &c.
1835–6. Todd, Cycl. Anat., I. 376/1. Cholesterine separates in white pearly scales.
1845. Budd, Dis. Liver (1846), 32.
1872. Huxley, Physiol., v. 122–3. A remarkable crystalline substance, very fatty-looking, but not really of a fatty nature, called cholesterin.
1881. Syd. Soc. Lex., Cholesterin disease, a term applied to certain forms of amyloid or lardaceous degeneration.
Hence Cholesteræmia (see quot.). Cholesteric a., as in Cholesteric (also Cholesterinic) acid (C8 H10 O5), produced by the action of nitric acid on cholesterin, and forming salts called Cholesterates. Cholesteride (see quot.). Cholesterilin, a hydrocarbon formed by the addition of sulphuric acid to cholesterin. Cholesterone, a hydrocarbon formed by the addition of phosphoric acid to cholesterin. Cholesteryl, the radical of cholesteric acid; hence Cholesterylamine, etc.
1866. A. Flint, Princ. Med. (1880), 81. To a morbid increase of cholesterin in the blood he applied the name cholesteræmia.
1879. Watts, Dict. Chem., I. 925. The cholesterates of the heavy metals are insoluble.
1840. Henry, Elem. Chem., II. xiii. 444. Cholesteric acid separates on cooling in the form of a yellow substance.
1847–9. Todd, Cycl. Anat., IV. 98/1. Several small tumours … composed in great part of cholesteric scales.
1878. Kingzett, Anim. Chem., 97. Compounds termed cholesterides … resembling saccharides in their general nature. Ibid., 98. Three hydrocarbons of the formula H42, named cholesterilin.
1880. J. W. Legg, Bile, 31. The olefiant gas of the series is cholesterilin.
1878. Kingzett, Anim. Chem., 98. Cholesteryl chloride.
